The Keys to Death
by leeg22
Summary: *FINAL CHAPTER NOW UP* UNIT call in the Doctor, Amy, Rory & River to investigate odd happenings at the old Holmes House. People go missing when entering one of the Rooms at the House and the Keys leave a morbid message behind, but will they all survive?
1. Chapter 1

DOCTOR WHO: THE KEYS TO DEATH

Chapter 1

* * *

><p>It was early morning when the front door of Amy and Rory's house sprung open to reveal Amy dressed as provocatively as ever. In a short, tight top and an extremely short purple skirt, she traipsed out of the house with a small hold-all in hand.<br>"An overnight bag?" she said back in the direction of the house. "Whatever for?"  
>"Just do as the Doctor says..." came the reply which belonged to Rory. He, as ever was dressed smartly but today looked more like a Lumberjack with his red and green checkered shirt and bright blue jeans.<br>"Come on though..." sighed Amy. "An overnight bag...I feel like I'm on a School Trip!"  
>"Ahhh..." remembered Rory. "Schools Trips...they were the best...do you remember Mrs Reign and the infamous History Trip?"<br>"Didn't you get lost on that one?" Amy asked.  
>"Yeah..." replied Rory. "But it was the best sleepover I'd ever had...albeit it was in a cave..."<br>"She'd really lost her marbles by then, hadn't she?" said Amy. Rory could only agree as the pair of them just waited for the Doctor to come out of the house and join them. Amy however was being as impatient as she always was. "DOCTOR!" she then cried. "Come on!"  
>"Yes, okay..." replied the Doctor sheepishly before coming out of the house. Rory then promptly locked up and then could relax once more. He had a thing about locking the door very quickly, he never understood why like everyone else.<br>"So, off to the TARDIS?" beamed Amy brightly. The Doctor then awkwardly looked around. The TARDIS was in the back garden but he'd led them out to the front of the house, so there was clearly something odd about the Doctor's mannerisms, even more so than normal.  
>"Well..." he began. "I don't think that'll be possible..."<br>"Why not?" asked Rory.  
>"Well...the TARDIS is running on empty..."<br>"And it needs refilling?" asked Amy.  
>"Yes..." said the Doctor. "...but it needs 24 Hours to fully get back to its normal self..."<br>"And how long has it had?" asked Rory who could sense something was definitely not going to be good.  
>"10 Minutes..." replied the Doctor. "Sorry..." Amy immediately pulled one of her usual faces of disgust and then shunned the Doctor. Rory then looked around thinking through the possibilities of their travel arrangements.<br>"So, no TARDIS means we've got to travel by other means...so what exactly were you planning, Doctor?"  
>"Well..." he began. "Um...I don't know how to put this Rory, but..."<br>"But what?" asked Rory before he realised the Doctor was staring at his bright red Mini. "Oh...oh no...you can't be serious!"  
>"Sadly I am..." said the Doctor.<br>"Where are we going to then?" asked Amy who had now stopped her shunning.  
>"London..." replied the Doctor simply.<br>"London?" said Rory. "That's over a 100 Miles away! You'll be paying the Petrol then..." he then huffed before taking his and Amy's hold-alls and putting them in the boot of the Mini. "Come along then!" he then said. "London here we go..."

"Are we there yet?" bemoaned the Doctor as the Mini was making reasonable progress towards its destination. Both Amy and Rory ignored him and just wished the journey would be at its end, Rory more so. Amy had put on some music from her MP3 Player and to both Rory and the Doctor, it was a ghastly selection in music. It was all modern and contrived with barely distinguishable lyrics. Rory being brought up by his Mother around the music of Dusty Springfield and others of that era definitely couldn't get a grasp of the music whilst the Doctor couldn't tell if the singer was male of female on most of the songs. The awkwardness of the journey continued until the Mini arrived in main London where the Doctor then directed Rory around to their destination.  
>"Where exactly are we going?" asked Amy.<br>"Holmes House..." replied the Doctor before saying "Left! NOW!" quite loudly.  
>"Is it just us going to be there?" asked Amy.<br>"No...there will be a familiar face and then some new ones..." replied the Doctor before then shouting abuse at Rory for missing the turn-in.  
>"I'm sorry..." apologised Rory. "...but you do mislead people easily..." he continued before turning the Mini around and then going where he should have been. Soon, the Mini came into sight of an old, dilapidated Mansion. It was surrounded entirely by land and its posh gates at the front made Amy smile a lot.<br>"Wow..." she said simply before noticing the soldiers all around. Dressed in black and wearing a red beret, they certainly stood out and all Amy could do was admire them. One came upto the side of the Mini and checked for ID. The Doctor passed Rory his Psychic Paper and soon they were let through. In the distance by the entrance, they could make out that someone was waiting for them. They weren't close enough to tell who it was yet but the Doctor couldn't help but smile. As they got closer, Rory realised who it was and then Amy soon after.  
>"Well..." smiled Rory. "You never said she was coming..."<br>"Didn't I?" joked the Doctor. "Must have forgotten!" he added as the Mini then pulled up on the gravelly road. There waiting for them was a woman dressed very business-like with extremely curly hair. She walked over to the driver's side where Rory then wound down the window for her.  
>"Hello everyone..." she smiled. "Lovely to see you again!"<p>

"River Song...fancy meeting you here!" smiled the Doctor proudly before giving River a gentle hug.  
>"Well, you did ask for me to be here..." she said as they embraced.<br>"That's true..." said the Doctor.  
>"...and the lure of UN.I.T Soldiers being around was certainly one I couldn't miss..." continued River.<br>"UN.I.T?" asked Rory.  
>"Unified Intelligence Taskforce..." explained River. "Basically, Earth's way of dealing with Aliens when Bow-Tie Bill here isn't around..."<br>"Bow-Tie Bill?" pondered the Doctor. "I rather like that..."  
>"So, what exactly are we here for then?" asked Amy. "It must be something serious if we've brought overnight bags." The Doctor then rushed over to the Mini and looked in the boot.<br>"Damn..." he muttered, but everyone could hear him.  
>"Well..." began River. "This house then, Holmes House belonged to the famous Philanthropist Aubrey Holmes and his dear Wife, Deirdre. When she passed away, Aubrey was all on his own and this is apparently when the 'happenings' began..."<br>"Happenings?" asked Rory.  
>"Basically, there were thoughts that the house was Haunted, but it was never proven..." answered River.<br>"But..." the Doctor continued. "When he passed on a few years back, the 'happenings' increased in number and severity...which suggests something strange about it..."  
>"But its just a Haunted House..." said Amy. "I didn't think you were into all this stuff?"<br>"I'm not normally..." said the Doctor. "But if UN.I.T are investigating, something very strange is definitely happening in there..."  
>"And they called you into help?" said Rory.<br>"Yes..." replied the Doctor.  
>"But only when the Keys started appearing..." added River<br>"Keys?" said Rory.  
>"Yes, keys...they were found all around the House with a message attached to each one...the keys all belonged to one of the rooms here, but those who ventured in never came back..." explained River.<br>"We can't go in there until the others arrive though..." stated the Doctor.  
>"Others?" asked Amy.<br>"Lieutenant Hank Nail and Captain Ingrid Benson..." said River. "They are in charge of this...so we have to obey..."

Soon, a cavalcade of UN.I.T emblazoned vehicles entered the grounds of Holmes House. The main support centre once again as ever with a modern UN.I.T was placed within a bigger than usual Lorry. When parked, out emerged the two UN.I.T staff the TARDIS quartet were waiting for.  
>"Lieutenant Hank Nail..." announced the Lieutenant proudly with a thick American accent before shaking everyone's hand vigorously. Captain Benson didn't introduce herself and just stood quiet by Lieutenant Nail's side. "Now then, strange things are happening here at this Manor and I wish to uncover the true reasons behind this. As you may or not already know, there have been recent sightings of the deceased Holmes around the grounds here...and quite simply I wish to stop that and ensure a safer London and therefore a safer world..."<br>"Well said..." smiled the Doctor before starting an awkward applause. "However, you know what you're up against Lieutenant..."  
>"Well, we don't..." replied the Lieutenant. "That's why we asked you here, Doctor..."<br>"No..." said the Doctor. "I mean you know with me at your side, and River, Amy and Rory things won't be as simple as they should be..."  
>"How so?" inquired Nail.<br>"Because we're Time-travellers..." said the Doctor. "So we know about this kind of thing...Come along, let's investigate!"


	2. Chapter 2

DOCTOR WHO: THE KEYS TO DEATH

Chapter 2

* * *

><p>As the Doctor, Amy, Rory, River and the UN.I.T personnel began to go into the house, a car screeched on the gravelly drive and came to a halt just beside Rory's Mini. It narrowly avoided it and Rory sighed with relief.<br>"Wait for me!" then came the voice of the driver of the car. Everyone looked back and saw a woman with bright blonde curly hair pop out and walk towards them. She was dressed simply. Quite casually really and soon joined up with everyone.  
>"Ah...finally arrived then?" said the Lieutenant.<br>"Sorry, the traffic is horrendous...I should have set out earlier really..." said the woman as she put her hair back into place. "Oh, I'm Alison Harrison by the way..." she then introduced to everyone else. Amy sniggered at the unfortunate naming while Rory and River just smiled at one another.  
>"Miss Harrison is the Chartered Surveyor of Holmes House..." explained the Lieutenant. "We drafted her in as she knows the House better than anyone else at present..."<br>"Well, I do my best!" smiled Alison brightly. It was an infectious smile and the Doctor could only smile back. Everyone soon then progressed indoors and began their investigations.

"I think we'll head off in different directions Hank..." said the Doctor as everyone came to a halt.  
>"That's Lieutenant Hank..." corrected Nail sternly as he towered over the Doctor.<br>"Yes, well...I think its best..." carried on the Doctor. "You and Ingrid can go off and join your other UN.I.T mates and us a lot will search elsewhere." The Lieutenant agreed and soon the split unfolded, but Alison still didn't know who she was really with.  
>"I gather your the Doctor then?" she asked at the Bow-Tied man. "They said you were...<em>different<em>..."  
>"Different is an understatement..." muttered River. The Doctor could hear River's remark but chose to ignore it.<br>"Yes Alison, I am the Doctor...the brains behind everything..." he replied. "Over there, that's Amy – the pretty brainy one who was a Kiss-o-gram..."  
>"Oi!" called Amy. "I really don't like being reminded of that!"<br>"Next to her is Rory – the Nose of all our operations..." continued the Doctor before doing his action for Rory's long nose. Rory just ignored him, he was used to it. "...and finally this is Dr. River Song – the sexy Gun-slinger of all Time and Space..."  
>"Why thankyou darling..." smiled River. Alison was quite impressed as she had been told in great detail by the Lieutenant on the phone about the Doctor and his travelling friends. She was about to ask further, but she was rudely interrupted by the screams and gunfire of UN.I.T soldiers. The five of them then set off in the direction of the noise and found two soldiers being bombarded by a ghostly presence around them.<br>"What the hell?" said Amy as she ducked to avoid it going directly into her.  
>"Stand back!" called the soldier.<br>"Put your gun down!" commanded River. "NOW!"  
>"But its attacking?" said the soldier.<br>"Leave it be..." demanded River as the Doctor looked at it more closely. It illuminated everywhere in the room and everyone just looked at it in astonishment.  
>"This isn't the first time I've seen one of these..." said Alison. "I've seen them both...this is or rather was Aubrey..."<br>"That's Aubrey Holmes?" said Rory perplexed.  
>"I doubt it..." said the Doctor before the ghostly presence disappeared.<br>"Well?" said River. "What is it then?"  
>"It's something different, something interesting...something brilliant!"<p>

"A Ghost?" exclaimed the Lieutenant in the support centre. "Doctor, you are crazy...even beyond your own infamous standards..."  
>"Its not a ghost..." said the Doctor. "I never said 'ghost', I said 'ghostly presence'...there is a difference..."<br>"Well whatever it is its simply poppycock!" laughed the Lieutenant. "Were after a possible Alien link here Doctor and all you find is a 'ghostly presence'..."  
>"Hank..." then began River. "You've got to take this more seriously...we've just been speaking with Alison and she knows that a daylight appearance of one of those is highly rare...we need to investigate at night..."<br>"If you insist..." said Lieutenant Nail dubiously. "I'll send out the message that everyone should rest until then...unfortunately, we don't have any sleeping quarters for you lot, so you'll have to make do with your Mini..."  
>"My Mini?" said Rory. "Were going to sleep in my Mini..."<br>"Afraid so..." said the Doctor. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Budge up a bit Doctor..." grimaced River as they shared the back row of seats. Amy was in the passenger seat whilst Rory was in the driver's seat with the steering wheel preventing him from moving about a lot.  
>"I have budged up River...if I could budge any more, I'd be on the gravel!" moaned the Doctor.<br>"Well, do your best...I know I'm not exactly small, but this is taking the mickey..." grumbled River.  
>"Don't have a go at my Mini!" called Rory. "I'd had this since I was 21...it's done me a good service...Mum and Dad bought it me...I'd like it to remain in good condition..."<br>"Well it would if the Doctor wouldn't put his Sonic out on the seat...I've just had the mispleasure of sitting on it!" moaned River even more. River and the Doctor just continued to moan even more and Amy and Rory just remained silent. Once in the car, none of them could leave until the search was on. This has been imposed under the commands on Lieutenant Nail who they could all see walking about the grounds freely. Then, as Evening came and Day went, the four began to feel more and more tired. River had huddled onto the Doctor's shoulder and had fallen asleep from there. Amy was definitely asleep and snoring very loudly and Rory had eventually nodded off despite having a steering wheel locking his legs in one place. However, the Doctor couldn't sleep partly because of Amy's snoring and partly because he could see something roaming the grounds. Like the one he'd seen earlier, it was ghostly and wandered around the grounds of Holmes House and then got progressively closer to Rory's Mini.  
>"Don't you dare..." muttered the Doctor, but it did and as it neared, it let out a hiss of a scream and went right through the body of the Mini and screamed before everyone.<br>"Bloody hell!" cried Rory.  
>"Oh my God!" screamed Amy.<br>"No you don't!" said River as she grabbed her gun but the ghost wouldn't leave and the Mini then began to rock. It rocked and rocked and soon the ghost screamed again. It made sure the doors were locked and even the Sonic wouldn't be able to open them. The glass was toughened in a second too as there was no way out. Suddenly, the Mini stopped rocking and everywhere fell quiet once more...what had happened? No-one knew...as everyone in the Mini was lifeless...


	3. Chapter 3

DOCTOR WHO: THE KEYS TO DEATH

Chapter 3

* * *

><p>"Mobilise Emergency Help right away!" commanded Lieutenant Nail as he saw the devastation unfold for the Mini and its occupants minutes earlier. There were no signs of life from in there and he and Captain Benson immediately rushed over to assist. They opened the doors and found everyone was slumped in their seats and were very much lifeless.<br>"Oh my God..." cried Captain Benson. "Why would it attack them?"  
>"I think we've provoked it..." sighed Lieutenant Nail. "It remembered this lot were there when we saw it, so when it met them again, it just wanted revenge..." he continued as he looked over everyone. They all had cuts over them yet the glass in the Mini hadn't broken at all. Then, Captain Benson smiled.<br>"She's got a pulse!" she said proudly referring to Amy.  
>"So's this one!" smiled Nail as he checked over Rory. Soldiers soon came and took away Amy and Rory on stretchers to the support centre. From there, they would be looked after and cared for. Now, Nail and Benson checked over the Doctor and River. They found pulses easily and were delighted that they hadn't lost anyone, well not yet. As night began to take hold, everyone was more cautious than ever before.<p>

"That was certainly something _different_..." groaned a groggy Doctor as he stirred and found himself awake in the UN.I.T support centre. Opposite him was River who was checking everything in her Diary was upto date, as it always was. "Where are we now anyway, River?" the Doctor then asked.  
>"London...I thought you knew!" she joked.<br>"You know what I mean..." smiled the Doctor. "In terms of Time-lines...have we done the Sea-Devils yet?" River looked on blankly at the Doctor.  
>"What's a Sea-Devil?" she asked.<br>"That answers that then..." muttered the Doctor to himself. River just looked up in her Diary and made sure she was following the right order for her, which was never right for the Doctor.  
>"We've done the Mr. Ulvercrest debacle and seen that Jack the Ripper was actually called David..." she began. The Doctor smiled.<br>"Dave the Ripper...who'd have thought that?" he then joked.  
>"Not the Wife obviously..." smiled River. "But we've still got so many things to do Doctor...and every time its just the two of us onboard that TARDIS, you enlighten me even more about your past..."<br>"How do you mean?" asked the Doctor.  
>"You've told me basically about all your previous incarnations and some of your former companions..." replied River before taking a sip of her coffee that was by her side.<br>"Why would I tell you about them?" asked the Doctor, puzzled.  
>"You never let go, but you most certainly can never forget..." she began. "I suppose I'll be the same too, like Amy and Rory aswell...do they know there's been others before them?"<br>"Amy does..." replied the Doctor. "Not sure about Rory...I'm never sure what I have or haven't told him...I do feel sorry for him though..."  
>"Why?" asked River.<br>"I know Amy and about her and her past quite well now with travelling with her for some time, but I just don't know much about Rory. I know he has a Mother, no idea if he has a Dad...or Brothers and Sisters...not a clue...I know he has that Mini, brilliant car, but that's all I know. I just feel awful about that..."  
>"You'll get to know him much better..." reassured River. "There's plenty of time left with the pair of them..."<br>"Somehow, in the back of my mind I just doubt that River, I don't know why..." said the Doctor solemnly as the pair then just sat in silence.

Elsewhere in the support centre Amy and Rory were recovering well and were just getting used to surroundings when Lieutenant Nail popped in.  
>"Neither of you have seen Miss Harrison, have you?" he asked.<br>"No..." they both replied. Lieutenant Nail then spoke into his communicator.  
>"No sign of her..." he said. "We'll just have to keep looking. Her car is here, so she can't have gone far..."<p>

Alison wasn't really that far away, she was just inside the house starting the night investigations early because she was always impatient. Her Mother had told her that for many years, but she didn't care. With a torch in hand, she slowly walked round the cavernous Holmes House. In the fading light, it took on another persona altogether. In day, it was quaint, but empty. However at night it did just look and feel like the stereotypical Haunted House. Everything creaked and dust and cobwebs were everywhere.  
>"Could do with a good clean..." she muttered to herself as she continued. The story around these 'happenings' and the mysterious keys appearing was far beyond what Alison should be doing, but again she simply didn't care. Over the last few weeks she'd found several keys all with a note attached. They all basically said the same thing of 'get out now' but Alison, unlike others hadn't been fazed and had survived. As she carried on she then saw a key on the floor. "Oh my..." she said. "Which room do you belong to then?" she asked herself as like before, the keys all belonged to a room within Holmes House. There were over 50 rooms in the house but it could be any one of them. She picked it up and saw the number etched into it. It read 'No. 38' and Alison was on the right floor already and could see room 38 was just to her right. When she looked again though, there was a bright light emanating from the gap between the door and the floor. "What the hell?" she said as she moved over to it. As she got closer she then looked at the note attached with the key. It simply read 'Almost there...' and Alison couldn't work it out. So she put the key into the lock and slowly began to turn it. The glowing light was still there and when the door opened fully, Alison was horrified at what she saw. "Oh my God!" she cried. Before her was a mass of swirling pink and white light which swished and swayed like the breeze. She was speechless, but then she could feel something was wrong, she was being drawn in. "Oh my God! HELP!" she then cried, but no-one seemingly heard. Grabbing hold of the door, Alison hung on for dear life and cried out once more. "HELP!" and this time she was heard. Everyone around Holmes House could hear her and soon the Doctor got into action with River, Amy and Rory soon joining. Lieutenant Nail and Captain Benson joined the race for her too as slowly but surely Alison was being dragged in by the swirling mass. "What are you?" she asked but it didn't reply, it just pulled harder. If help didn't come soon, she'd be gone and then to make matters worse, Alison heard the door beginning to snap and fracture. "HELP!" she cried once more as everywhere then fell silent...<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

DOCTOR WHO: THE KEYS TO DEATH

Chapter 4

* * *

><p>"This way!" shouted the Doctor as he rushed up the stairs with River following him just as quick. Amy and Rory were doing their best to catch up but it wasn't exactly happening. After falling asleep in the car for as long as he did with the steering wheel restricting his movements, Rory simply couldn't keep up and he left Amy to run and catch up. Lieutenant Nail and Captain Benson soon passed him and slowly Rory began to feel like his old self again.<br>"I feel like I'm in my 70's..." he groaned before carrying on regardless through the pain barrier. Further along, the Doctor and River were sensing they were near and then just as Alison was seemingly vanishing altogether, they saw her.  
>"Hang on!" cried the Doctor as he immediately rushed over.<br>"I can't!" shouted Alison but the Doctor got a hold of her and River got a hold of him. Amy soon caught up and grabbed a hold of River while Lieutenant Nail and Captain Benson simply joined the line. They pulled as hard as they could and Alison simply couldn't let go now, she had to hold on regardless of it if she couldn't or not.  
>"Almost there..." said River and in one big pull, everyone got Alison to safety. The door immediately swung back and the key in the lock disappeared in an instant.<br>"What the hell was that, Doctor?" asked Amy.  
>"I don't know..." he replied. "I didn't see it, I was focusing on Alison..."<br>"Well whatever it was, it wanted me..." said Alison. "Thankyou for saving me..." The Doctor, River and Amy just smiled but Lieutenant Nail wasn't pleased in the slightest.  
>"What the hell do you think you were doing, Miss Harrison?" boomed the big American.<br>"I was investigating..." she replied. "You brought me in as an Expert and you're not using me, so I thought I do some investigating on my own..."  
>"She has a fair point..." said River. "She knows this place better than anyone else here and you denied of it...very <em>clever<em>..."  
>"Were sticking to established protocol..." said Nail. "I can't ignore it...my position would be at risk..."<br>"So your job is more important than the lives of innocent humans...?" said the Doctor. "I somehow doubt that...so, when I'm done here, I'll express clearly to Major Pamela Blake about your incompetence for the safety of Humanity..."  
>"Do as you please, Doctor..." spouted Nail before going off back in the direction of the support centre. Captain Benson just smiled apologetically.<br>"I'm sorry...but I can't prevent him getting like this...I'm just a Captain...he's a Lieutenant..." she said before going off to catch up with Nail. As she made her way, Rory eventually popped into view.  
>"Sorry..." he said. "My knees have gone...can't feel them and can barely move them either..."<br>"I think we'll discuss further matters here then..." smiled the Doctor. "Don't want Grandad Rory to miss out..."

"These keys are well pretty much the _key_, if you'll excuse the pun..." said Alison calmly. "They just appear and disappear at random...I've even got footage of it happening..."  
>"Really?" said the Doctor. "Where?"<br>"CCTV..." said Alison pointing at one in the landing they were in. "I installed them not long after the first people went missing. I've even done a test where I put one of these keys blatantly in view of the camera for it to then disappear and then return to where I originally found it..."  
>"That sounds like basic Time Distortion..." said River. "Anyone out in the stars can get that..."<br>"So this thing's alien then?" asked Rory.  
>"I would imagine so..." replied the Doctor. "Its just a shame that camera wouldn't have just caught what just happened to you Alison with it being at that angle..."<br>"I know..." she said sadly. "I thought it would all be there...but all you'd see from there is my head...not the pink thing..."  
>"Pink thing?" asked the Doctor.<br>"You really didn't look anywhere else did you?" said Amy. The Doctor shook his head as if to say no. Alison then tried to recall it as best as she could.  
>"It was pink and white with purple hues aswell..." she began. "It was sort of like a gas in the way that it moved, but it can't have been..."<br>"Why not?" asked the Doctor.  
>"...because it was breathing..." said Alison. "That thing was breathing...that thing was alive..."<p>

"I'm sending in the big guns..." said Lieutenant Nail at the command desk in the support centre. "...whatever grabbed hold of Miss Harrison is definitely within that house...god knows why those ghost things are there..."  
>"But Sir..." cut in Captain Benson. "It's a listed building...you can't do that..."<br>"I don't care Ingrid..." he sighed. "That Doctor and his friends have been no help at all...so I am taking charge here...I will dismiss them from duty in the morning..."  
>"Pamela won't be happy..." said Captain Benson.<br>"Sod Major Blake..." muttered Nail. "I can take charge here...she knows that...I don't need others...to be honest, I don't even need you Ingrid..."  
>"Oh, cheers for that..." she retorted before leaving the support centre. Outside of it she had a perfect view of Holmes House and could see faintly a pink glow in one of the rooms. She'd seen that happen all too recently, and then she heard the screams on her communicator.<br>"Ingrid!" one voice cried. "For God's sake get help now!"  
>"Mobilise forces..." she spoke into her communicator. "In we go!" and she immediately rushed inside.<p>

"What the hell was that?" asked River as she thought she could faintly hear screaming. Then, there was the sound of gunshots.  
>"It's happening again..." said the Doctor before rushing off again. The others quickly followed and atleast Rory could keep up this time. As they ran along the winding landings and levels of Holmes House, the sound of gunshots got louder and louder. They could hear Captain Benson barking out commands to soldiers.<br>"Fire at it! Disable it at once!" she ordered.  
>"No!" cried the Doctor. "Don't do that..." Ingrid looked round and there almost tumbling down the steps was the Doctor. He could see soldiers were almost being pulled in like Alison but they were stronger and were trying to close the door. The Doctor and Rory immediately rushed over to help while River got out a camera from her side and took photos and diagnostics of the pink flowing mass. Amy and Alison could only look on and hope it would all be fine. The door then closed but the Doctor had seen enough to recognise it.<br>"Revex..." he muttered to himself. "Revex..."


	5. Chapter 5

DOCTOR WHO: THE KEYS TO DEATH

Chapter 5

* * *

><p>"...and what the hell is a Revex, Doctor?" asked Lieutenant Nail angrily as he hadn't been informed of the latest attack. "Well?"<br>"It's Alien..." said the Doctor simply. "Its a being, almost like a parasite, a bacteria even..." he continued as he fiddled with his Bow-Tie.  
>"SO WHY HAS IT COME HERE?" asked Nail even angrier than before.<br>"That's what were trying to work out..." said River. "My diagnostic readings are currently processing and will help identify more about the Revex..."  
>"Do you reckon its always been in the house, Doctor?" asked Amy as she looked at River's processing diagnostics.<br>"It's hard to say really..." he began. "A Revex can be a remnant of time and of wars...or it could just have fallen from the sky and have resurfaced into Holmes House."  
>"What's it trying to do though?" asked Rory. "It tried to suck in Alison and then those soldiers...but if its been there all that time, why didn't it happen to Aubrey and Deirdre?"<br>"That's a good question Rory-Mory..." smiled the Doctor.  
>"Rory-Mory?" said Rory. Amy could only laugh at his reaction. "What happened to Rory the Roman?"<br>"I'm on a rotor...it'll come back again Bremner..."  
>"Bremner?" asked Rory. "Why Bremner?"<br>"Because of Rory Bremner!" said the Doctor. "I'd have thought you'd get that one...so, moving on...Rory the Roman!" he then said smiling widely. Rory could only smile. River glanced up and smiled too as she knew the Doctor was on a mini-mission in regards to finding out more about Rory.

Suddenly, River's scanner then beeped to say the diagnostics were done and dusted to end an awkward silence that had developed in the support centre. Everyone suddenly became more alert and Lieutenant Nail seemed the most apprehensive of everyone there. By his side, as ever Captain Benson just stood silently.  
>"And?" boomed Nail loudly.<br>"Well its definitely a Revex..." said River. "Part of the Fareen Nebula...destined to be a lost purpose..."  
>"That's the thing with a Revex..." said the Doctor. "Their intention is just to live, in whatever they can find...whether its already living or not..."<br>"So, it found something inanimate like the house to live in?" said Alison. "So it wouldn't harm anyone..."  
>"Exactly!" said the Doctor. "You're picking up things quite quickly...I like that..."<br>"I aim to please..." smiled Alison but the smiled soon faded as the Doctor looked at the diagnostics even closer. Something had really caught his attention. "Hang on..." he said nudging at River. "How's that possible...?" River then looked and was equally as shocked.  
>"Oh my..." she said. "Its sentient..."<br>"But a Revex isn't..." said the Doctor adamantly. "So, this is a rare one...a bug...a strain..."  
>"Why can't it be sentient then?" asked Amy.<br>"Because that's a fact of the Fareen Nebula. You look alive and sentient, but you're not...its only an impression..." explained the Doctor.  
>"So when I was being sucked in, it wasn't alive?" asked Alison.<br>"No..." replied River. "It was giving off the impression it was...it got inside your mind..."  
>"So how do you fight something that isn't alive?" asked Rory as he looked closely at the readings. They were like the ones at the Royal Leadworth Hospital where he hadn't been in ages. He'd forgotten whether he'd resigned or if it was sick leave...indefinite sick leave at that.<br>"Very trickily..." said the Doctor.  
>"Can we do it though?" asked Nail who was more calm now compared to earlier. "I've got ammunition at the ready...I've got weapons in waiting, we can fight this! Doctor, I can ensure that..."<br>"First things first, _Hank_..." said the Doctor. "No guns are to be used in my presence from this moment onwards..."  
>"Are you mad?" spouted Nail.<br>"Yes..." smiled the Doctor. "Well...more eccentric than mad, but you get the picture!" he then said getting a hold of his Sonic Screwdriver. It began to glow bright green as the Doctor laid out his message. "Night seems to be the Revex's key time of operation, but we will continue in the morning, when its at its weakest. It won't suspect a thing, so we've got to be ready with the right mentality because we are going to win! A Revex can be deadly. It can also not be deadly at the same time, but the thing we have to do quite simply is do what is best for the whole of London and more importantly, Earth. So, I reiterate, we are not doing anything until morning."  
>"So what are we doing between now and morning?" asked Amy. "Twiddle our thumbs?"<br>"Isn't it obvious?" said the Doctor. "Sleep! Come on, off to the Mini we go!" he then said leading Amy, Rory and River away.

A look at his watch confirmed the time to be midnight as Rory got ready to sleep. Everyone had got changed in the support centre facilities into something more bed-like to make the most out of the sleep they could get, well all except the Doctor as he'd forgotten his overnight bag. So he just took off his tweed jacket as a means of being more comfortable. Alison was sleeping in her car and waved night to everyone before she 'hit the hay' as she said. Back in the Mini Rory could atleast move his legs a bit more now that he was wearing pyjama shorts compared to his jeans from earlier which prevented any real movement. He was relieved with that atleast! River was dressed in a thick pyjama outfit which the Doctor had apparently bought for her quite recently, but obviously not yet from his point of view whilst Amy dressed as Amy would which was rather scruffily for bedtime, but she didn't care.  
>"Night everyone!" she said before getting comfy.<br>"Night..." said a sleepy Rory.  
>"Night Amy..." smiled River. The Doctor didn't reply as not long after everyone else was asleep, he could see something out in the grounds again. It laughed and giggled and coughed. It was almost as if Aubrey and Deirdre were out there. He had a feeling it was them, but he wasn't sure. Then, just out of the corner of his eye, he saw the house illuminate in the pink of the Revex once more. No-one was inside but the Doctor knew it was growing in strength each time. He could faintly see Lieutenant Nail observing the house from the entrance to the support centre and he feared greatly for everyone with Nail in charge. The Doctor could tell that he would kill regardless of if it was harmful or not.<br>"Morning will be very key..." he muttered to himself before finally dozing off despite Amy's extremely loud snoring...


	6. Chapter 6

DOCTOR WHO: THE KEYS TO DEATH

Chapter 6

* * *

><p>Morning rose and the TARDIS occupants inside Rory's Mini were awaken by the tapping on the window by Lieutenant Nail. Again, like the previous night with the weird ghostly presence everyone was startled and Amy gestured angrily at Nail for interrupting a good nights sleep for her. Rory still felt really groggy and the Doctor was very bleary-eyed. River was seemingly fine like Amy and the Doctor and Rory couldn't work out why the women had slept better than them.<br>"Strange..." muttered the Doctor. "Very strange..." he continued as Nail tapped on the window once more.  
>"Breakfast will be served soon, but I recommend you all take showers beforehand. Facilities are available in the support centre. Second corridor, fourth entrance. See you soon..." he boomed before leaving.<br>"Is there anything they don't have in that support centre?" joked Rory.  
>"Jam..." said the Doctor. "I'm disgusted at that!"<p>

Warm showers were exactly what was needed as it refreshed everyone greatly. The Doctor sang rather loudly though throughout and Rory slipped on some soap and did his back in a bit, but all was ok. The traditional English Fry-up aswell made everyone even perkier than they already were.  
>"Lovely Bacon!" chomped the Doctor to Lieutenant Nail.<br>"Yes..." he replied seemingly a bit disgusted at the lack of table manners the Doctor had. River quickly apologised and did her best to make him seem 'normal'.  
>"...and this is a Knife and Fork..." she said sarcastically. "...you use them to help eat with!" The Doctor just glared at her whilst Amy couldn't help but laugh. Breakfast was lovely but solving the issue of the Revex was most certainly the main priority today.<br>"Are we ready then?" said Alison as she entered the Breakfast area with a cup of coffee in hand. She certainly looked different today compared to yesterday. Like Amy, Alison was now dressed quite provocatively with big high-heeled leather boots, and a short skirt. However, the look of a red polka-dot shirt and dark green cardigan detracted from that look somewhat, so she was still being her quirky self.  
>"I'm ready if everyone else is ready!" smiled the Doctor.<br>"I haven't finished my Toast yet!" moaned Rory with half a mouth full of crumbling toast.  
>"Eat it on the way!" said Amy as everyone got up. Outside of the support centre, they could vans pulling up into the grounds with soldiers taking out card covered objects.<br>"What's in them?" asked Alison.  
>"Our main weapon!" said the Doctor.<br>"I thought you weren't fighting..." remarked Lieutenant Nail as he passed by. "Changed your tune already?"  
>"There not 'traditional' weapons is has to be said, Hank..." retorted the Doctor.<br>"Well, what are they then? Mirrors?" chuckled Hank.  
>"Yes..." replied the Doctor simply.<br>"Mirrors?" asked Amy. "Why Mirrors?"  
>"Because when you lock onto the sight of the Revex as Alison found out..." began River. "It weakens you..."<br>"So were going to try and make it weaken itself?" said Rory.  
>"Exactly!" smiled the Doctor as he patted Rory on the shoulder. "The Revex being as simple as they are might not even be able to distinguish that this Mirror is a reflection of itself. It may think its another one, and therefore make it even more weaker than it will already become..."<br>"So, were luring it into a false sense of security?" smiled Alison. She rather liked the plan and like the Doctor couldn't see how guns and weapons of that ilk would work against it.  
>"I somehow doubt the integrity of this plan, Doctor..." said Nail dubiously. "It is clear that this malevolence inside Holmes House demands the use of 'good' weaponry, not cheap 'flim-flam'!"<br>"Flim-flam!" said a surprised Doctor. "Dr. Jones will tell you how many times 'flim-flam' has saved UN.I.T and the world...and she is not wrong!"  
>"Dr. Jones is in Kenya at the present Doctor solving the disappearance of missing families from Market Towns...I somehow doubt she cares about 'flim-flam'."<br>"But she will still care about me..." retorted the Doctor. "She may not travel with me anymore, but I still enjoy hearing her progress through the UN.I.T world. But then comes an issue here, _Hank_..."  
>"And what would that be?" asked the Lieutenant.<br>"I don't mean to sound rude, but I've never heard of you until now...and I know all the names of British-based UN.I.T staff...I didn't used to, but I had a spare Friday night to learn them..."  
>"I've been with the organisation for 15 years Doctor..." gritted the Lieutenant.<br>"But have you?" questioned the Doctor. "Because when I put your name up to Colonel Leonard Range...he'd never heard of you...nor Colonel Daines and in actual fact Major Blake...so why are you this anomaly?"  
>"Who knows Doctor..." sighed Nail. "...but I bid you good day..." and he soon left and was out of view. He then watched on from the distance as the Doctor and his team made their way inside with soldiers bringing in an ever-increasing amount of Mirrors. None of the soldiers had guns with them and this angered Nail a lot. No-one had noticed that he still had his pistol with him, so hidden away in his holster, the Lieutenant walked inside Holmes House as if he was unarmed.<p>

"Right then, the 'fab' plan begins!" smiled the Doctor as everyone congregated in the main hall. "I think it will be best if we split up here and take a level of floors and doors each. So Amy, you get doors 1-11, Rory you get 12-21, River has 22-33, Alison takes 34 through to 49 and I have room 50 to 57."  
>"But there's only 56 rooms..." said Alison. "I checked yesterday..."<br>"Never mind..." said the Doctor. "Take some Mirrors each and off we go!" and soon he went off to the top floor while the others went around to their level. Amy, being on the ground floor felt fine but as she went around she saw a key on the floor.  
>"Oh no..." she muttered to herself as she neared it, but it was picked up by a UN.I.T solider. "What do you think you're doing with that?" Amy asked.<br>"I'm just trying the door..." replied the soldier. "There will be no harm...anyway, 5 is my lucky number!" and the soldier walked over to door 5. Unlike Amy, the soldier hadn't noticed the pink glow beginning to emanate from under the door. She knew what it meant and she walked back quite quickly giving herself plenty of room. The soldier put the key into the lock, but the lock undid itself. "What the hell..." said the soldier but they were too slow to react as the door flung open and the soldier was sucked inside in an instant. Amy just looked on horrified.  
>"Oh my god..." she said to herself as she made her way over to the door. It was locked once more and the key itself had disappeared, but the note was still there on the floor. Amy picked it up and read it. "Victim 13...how appropriate..." she read. "Oh my god...I've got to warn everyone!" but she didn't get the chance as another soldier on her level began to walk to door 1.<br>"Found the key!" they said to Amy. "Its worth a try I suppose..."  
>"What did the note say?" Amy asked as an attempt to stop them opening the door.<br>"Oh, what we've all heard before. Death is arriving...same old, same old!" replied the soldier as they then put the key in the door. Again, it unlocked itself and a pink light illuminated the soldier for a brief moment before they were sucked in. Amy didn't want to witness it again and immediately ran upstairs.  
>"Soldiers!" she cried. "The Revex got some!"<br>"How dare it!" said Lieutenant Nail as Amy rushed by. He then got out his pistol and reassured Amy. "We will be fine. I'll get rid of this beast in one fell-swoop!" Amy then saw he had the gun and she tried to get it off him.  
>"No...n...y...you can't!" she said struggling.<br>"But it deserves to die!" shouted the Lieutenant angrily. Rory was in the near distance and heard the commotion and soon came over.  
>"Lay off her!" he said before trying to take the gun off the Lieutenant. Nail though was much stronger than Rory and brushed him aside with ease. Amy soon gave up and Nail just pointed his pistol at the pair of them.<br>"If I don't get the chance to shoot this hideous monstrosity...then I'll just have to shoot you pair..." he hissed loudly at them. Amy and Rory just had their hands up and tried to calm the Lieutenant down.  
>"Were just going by what the Doctor says..." said Amy.<br>"Sod the Doctor! Sod everyone!" shouted the Lieutenant.  
>"We're only doing what's best!" said Rory nervously.<br>"The best thing to happen here is if all you lot, including the Doctor were dead. Then I would kill that bloody creature in an instant and be rid of all the worries of the world..." spouted Nail furiously. His face was getting redder by the moment and his shouting had caught the attention of River. She came downstairs and immediately fitted the role of a hostage negotiator.  
>"Hank, you know what's best here..." she said. "If you don't put down that pistol, I will shoot you!" she continued brandishing her own gun.<br>"You ignored the Doctor's order then..." smiled Nail.  
>"He knows me, and he knows that my gun is my friend..." retorted River. "I've killed many with this. Neil Monarch, the Silence, a Platoon of Judoon, Kendal McCready, Lord Jeffrey of the Manor of Baington...and now Lieutenant Hank Nail of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce will join that list..." she smiled as she readied her gun.<br>"If you shoot me, its the coward's way out..." said Lieutenant Nail. River just got more and more ready and the commotion had spread throughout the house and the Doctor and Alison had soon come and saw what was happening. For some reason, the Doctor didn't even try to persuade River to stop and this surprised everyone, even River. She didn't care though as Lieutenant Nail spouted more nonsense at her, she pulled the trigger and fired.  
>"Talk about being a coward..." muttered River to herself as the Lieutenant lay dead on the floor.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

DOCTOR WHO: THE KEYS TO DEATH

Chapter 7

* * *

><p>"I hope you still trust me..." said River to the Doctor solemnly as Lieutenant Nail's body was taken away. "I was saving Amy and Rory for you..."<br>"Thanks by the way..." said Amy.  
>"You don't know how much we mean it..." added Rory. The Doctor just sighed and didn't speak and this began to worry River.<br>"I only did what was best, Sweetie..." she said. "I didn't intend to kill him, but I had a strange feeling about him...not long after you doubted his position within UN.I.T."  
>"There's good reason for that..." said the Doctor with a faint smile. "He was part of the Revex..."<br>"He what?" said Alison. "But he's human?"  
>"Don't forget that a Revex can take anything to be its host...living or inanimate..." explained the Doctor. "When they check through his belongings they'll find his true identity...like I did last night..."<br>"How'd you mean?" asked Rory. "Did he tell you by error?"  
>"No..." replied the Doctor. "Quite simply he left an ID card on the Dining Tables last night before we went to sleep. I noticed it and saw his picture with the name 'Norman Sanderson' next to it."<br>"Probably just an Alias..." said River as she put her gun away still shocked at her own actions.  
>"But its not as after you went to sleep, I sort of looked on your scanner and found one Norman Sanderson who has been missing for 7 years. Went missing from his home town of Oregon and somehow came here with the mind-set of being Hank Nail with a complete back-story and knowledge. The Revex then put a perception filter around him and that's why no-one questioned anything about him..."<br>"But you said some were questioning him now, didn't you?" said Alison.  
>"Indeed..." agreed the Doctor. "That's because the perception filter has worn off and everyone was beginning to see 'Norman', not Hank. No-one from UN.I.T here has yet, but by tomorrow, they would have..."<br>"So, who's in charge then?" asked Rory. The answer was soon found out as Captain Benson joined them. "Following his sad, untimely passing, leadership would pass onto me naturally, but in this instance I delegate it to the Doctor...I'll still help, but the soldiers are under your command!" she said.  
>"Fab!" smiled the Doctor. "Really fab!"<p>

With the Doctor now in charge, he assembled everyone he could to lay out the plan to defeat the Revex once and for all.  
>"I think it will be best now if we pair off..." he began. "Soldiers, you can pair off as you wish. Ingrid, I'm leaving your decision up to you as I think your more than capable on your own..."<br>"Why thankyou, Doctor..." smiled Ingrid as she then went away collecting Mirrors to fight off the Revex. Now with the soldiers and Captain Benson dispersing, the Doctor was just left with Amy, Rory, River and Alison to pair up. Knowing that he wanted to get to know Rory a bit more, the Doctor paired himself with him whilst River paired up with Amy. He left Alison on her own as she, like Ingrid was capable of that and her knowledge of the house was far superior to anyone else's.  
>"I imagine we just get in contact when we need it then..." said Alison as the Doctor handed her and everyone else a spare communicator.<br>"Indeed..." said the Doctor. "Any sign of the pink light and we know its here and ready..."  
>"We know what to do then..." said Amy. "So let's go!" and indeed everyone did.<p>

Time was passing by and for all the pairings around Holmes House, there was nothing at all. Not a thing to report in the slightest.  
>"It's probably gone..." said one soldier to Captain Benson.<br>"I doubt that..." she said. "A being like that is hardly going to leave because were here...its just waiting...I don't know what for, but it means business." she continued as everyone just looked round. Amy was getting pretty bored of little activity and so just had a look-through on River's scanner.  
>"Who are these people?" she asked as she showed River several different men who all appeared to be in the TARDIS, or something similar to it.<br>"They are all the Doctor..." sighed River. "You shouldn't really have seen them. He can change his face very well, just like the TARDIS can change its theme. Its just a staple part of being a Timelord."  
>"So he's not always looked like he has now?"<br>"He'd look a lot older than that face could ever manage..." said River. "Its something he can prevent really happening. Well, you can choose not to change as it were but then there's a bigger issue..."  
>"And what's that?" asked Amy.<br>"He'd die..." she said simply. "Like he did in 1969...his regeneration, that glowing look you saw on the beach is his way of avoiding death..."  
>"He will eventually die, <em>naturally<em>, won't he?" said Amy.  
>"Sort of and sort of not..." she replied. "Its best if we leave it as it is...talk about something else. Been clothes shopping lately?"<p>

The Doctor and Rory were similarly struggling to do anything with the lack of Revex activity, so the Doctor saw it as his chance to bond that bit more with Rory.  
>"Well, Rory the Roman..." he sighed as he sat against the landing wall. "Everything ok your end?"<br>"What do you mean?" asked Rory as he sat next to the Doctor. "Everything is ok with Amy..."  
>"No, I didn't mean that..." said the Doctor. "I mean everything...it can mean many things."<br>"Well...yeah...its all ok..." replied Rory.  
>"Is your Mother ok?" asked the Doctor.<br>"Yeah..." replied Rory simply. "She keeps cooking Gingerbread Men though for no apparent reason..."  
>"Mothers are always like that!" smiled the Doctor.<br>"What was yours like then?" asked Rory.  
>"Brilliant..." said the Doctor. "Fantastic, marvellous...the best of them all on Gallifrey...she could sew like no other..."<br>"My Mum loves sewing..." laughed Rory. "Every time I pop round, she's sewing something new or she's taken up her other hobby of knitting..."  
>"Knitting is brilliant! Knitting is cool!" said the Doctor.<br>"Everything's cool to you..." smirked Rory.  
>"Well, not everything..."<br>"Such as?" asked Rory.  
>"The changing room incident with you and me in the TARDIS...I'm sorry about that still..." explained the Doctor with a deep sigh at the end.<br>"Well, it has made me confident in myself..." said Rory. "So, it wasn't all that _bad_, just the being naked with you part was a tad awkward..."  
>"You live and learn from your errors!" smiled the Doctor. "Like not getting to know you so well..."<br>"How'd you mean?" asked Rory. "You know me quite well..."  
>"Not really..." said the Doctor. "I know you, Rory Williams, you have a Mum, a Mini and that's about it...it's not good enough if your travelling with me to know so little about you..."<br>"Well you don't know much about River, but you don't complain then..." pointed out Rory who was very confused by the Doctor's weird emotional turn.  
>"Ah...but we go drinking...we get snippets of information from each other then..." smiled the Doctor recalling many drinking sessions with River at the Tavern on Kilkenny Island on Narvuss-Prone.<br>"We can go drinking..." said Rory. "I've got no qualms with that...apart from your weirdness, but everyone's like that after a few at the Greasy Goose..."  
>"The Greasy Goose?" laughed the Doctor. "That's your local Pub's name?"<br>"I know its awful..." laughed Rory.  
>"It's not!" said the Doctor. "It's a fab name for a pub...Wagon and Horses, the Dragon and all that lot are boring...the Greasy Goose is just brilliant!" he continued as he then patted Rory on the shoulder. "You can be a good friend you know Rory..."<br>"Its what I'm here for..." smiled Rory. The Doctor just patted his shoulder once more.  
>"Its all fine and good being happy around Amy and River, but your just that bit of male company that I need...drinking buddy, football friend – oh, I could take you to 1966 and watch England win the World Cup if you want..."<br>"If you like..." said Rory. "Send Amy to another shopping planet again, she won't mind while were there!"  
>"Indeed..." laughed the Doctor to his good friend Rory. He'd done what he'd needed to.<p>

Meanwhile, Alison was just searching around the various levels she was surveying when she caught a glimpse of the pink light from under one of the doors.  
>"It's here..." she said into her communicator. "Room 27...now..." she muttered as the door then violently swung open. There from it burst one of the many keys of Holmes House. It landed just before Alison and she saw it was for Room 56, the last room. The note attached was even more morbid than others she'd come across before. It simply read 'Prepare to melt away from existence and witness the sands of time drain away from you as the Maggots of life eat at you.' Alison, being as brave as she could immediately got out one of the Mirrors she'd picked up earlier and pointed it in the direction of the Revex peering out of Room 27. It didn't stop it and didn't seem to weaken it at all. Alison was puzzled. "Doctor, the Mirrors aren't working!" she then said into her communicator just as the Doctor arrived.<br>"They should be..." he said picking out one of his. Then he, like Alison discovered the limits the Mirrors had. "Oh..." he muttered.  
>"Oh what?" said Alison.<br>"I think there's been a miscalculation somewhere along the way..." replied the Doctor just as River came into view with her scanner beeping like mad.  
>"Mirrors don't work Doctor..." she said. "The composite in them isn't strong enough...that only leaves one option..."<br>"No..." said the Doctor. "No..."  
>"You know it will have to happen..." said River adamantly. "I'll have to inform Captain Benson."<br>"Inform me of what?" she asked as she arrived with Amy and Rory at her side. "Spit it out, what is it Doctor?"  
>"I'm so sorry Ingrid, but I've made an error here..." he began. "The Mirrors don't work, everyone is at risk here and that only leaves one option..."<br>"Which is what?" asked Captain Benson apprehensively.  
>"Shoot to kill..." said the Doctor and River in unison.<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

DOCTOR WHO: THE KEYS TO DEATH

Chapter 8

* * *

><p>"You heard the Doctor...guns are now our only option..." said Captain Benson repeatedly to her soldiers as they got their guns at the ready. A vast variety of soldiers gathered up with a vast variety of guns and it would seem that if this was really the only option, then UN.I.T were well covered. Meanwhile, back inside Holmes House, the Doctor still wasn't happy with what had to happen, but he put it to the side as Alison was holding the key to Room 56 in her hand.<br>"Do you want to check it out?" she asked brightly.  
>"Only if you want to..." smiled the Doctor.<br>"Were not armed though..." pointed out Alison.  
>"Oh you are!" cut in River. "Off we go then!"<br>"Come along Ponds! Williams'? Rory and Amy!" said the Doctor with a puzzled look before the five trotted off upstairs to Room 56.

As the stairs creaked and croaked, the Doctor, Alison, River, Amy and Rory all cautiously wandered along to Room 56. It was on its own level and it was at the end of its landing. No other doors were present and the light in the landing flickered madly.  
>"Room 56 is where both Aubrey and Deirdre died..." said Alison as they got ever closer to the door. "I imagine this is where the stories and the 'happenings' all surfaced from."<br>"Stories, no matter how true cannot simply match the true experience itself..." remarked the Doctor.  
>"There's no pink light yet though..." said Amy. "Do you think its waiting for us?"<br>"Almost certainly..." replied River. "Although this one is sentient, it won't truly know were here...it'll guess."  
>"They are very good at guessing though..." said the Doctor. "Something that is always forgotten about a Revex."<br>"Is everything always like this with your four?" asked Alison. "Because if it is...its just wonderful. Yes, I know things like this are killing people but the thrill and excitement I've had these last few days is unparalleled to anything I've ever done..."  
>"Its never easy..." said Rory. "But its bloody wonderful..."<br>"Bloody brilliant..." laughed River. Amy smiled too as did the Doctor, but the brief smiley exchange was cut short as even without the key inside the lock, the door to Room 56 opened suddenly. There was nothing in there and then suddenly the pink glow began to emanate once more. River immediately got her gun at the ready.  
>"Revex!" shouted the Doctor. "I know you won't be able to respond but you know what you've done is wrong, so give in or..."<br>"I shoot!" said River very seriously. Despite knowing that the Mirrors weren't working, Alison, Amy and Rory got theirs out and directed them at the Revex. It squealed slightly but no-one was sure if this was its laugh or a cry of pain.  
>"Comply Revex or die..." said the Doctor. "I know this isn't what I wanted to happen, but everything has clicked into place now. The taking of Norman and imprinting Hank onto him, the various innocent people taken by you and those ghosts that we've seen, it now all makes sense!"<br>"Does it?" whispered Amy to Rory.  
>"Not a clue at all..." he whispered back.<br>"I understand it..." said Alison proudly. "Those ghosts are all that are left of Aubrey and Deirdre as you killed them, albeit very slowly. You felt sorry and tried to make more ghosts to accompany them."  
>"But it didn't work..." continued River. "...for one reason...you are sentient...if a Revex is sentient, it cannot fully function..."<br>"And that's why my friend River is pointing a gun at you..." said the Doctor. "You are defunct...on a scale of usefulness you score nil points! You simply can't continue!" he continued but the Revex wouldn't listen and squealed even louder and then disappeared. The Doctor's communicator then crackled into life and then came the voice of Captain Benson.  
>"Doctor! Help us now! The Revex is circulating the bottom three levels...all my soldiers are in them! Help!" she cried out as she then got her gun at the ready. Her communicator was still on and everyone heard her as she confronted the Revex that was circling around her. "You stupid swirly piece of s-" but the sound of her gun cut out the signal of the communicator. Everyone then rushed down the stairs and the fight was now on.<p>

Screams, shouts and squeals echoed all around Holmes House as the UN.I.T forces fought back. The sounds of gunfire everywhere made it known that the Revex wasn't going to win. River immediately darted into action and assisted as best as she could. Alison soon found a spare gun lying on the floor and simply couldn't resist joining in.  
>"Alison?" said the Doctor.<br>"I'm doing my duty!" she smiled. "Can't deny a girl of that!"  
>"Oh indeed!" he smiled back as Amy passed him a big Mirror.<br>"Come on Bow-Tie Bill, were going to reflect it to death!" she said.  
>"That's not strictly true though..." pointed out the Doctor. Rory just sighed and smiled. He liked the Doctor when he was like this and this helped him definitely be in the right frame of mind as he tumbled around avoiding gun fire to reflect at the weak points of the Revex.<br>"Take that!" he said fondly remembering his time dressed as the Roman soldier. There he was brave as he had been on HMS Defender, but with the Doctor assisting him, he felt more confident than ever. The Doctor soon realised that he could deflect a power source from his Sonic Screwdriver off his Mirror onto Rory's and then onto Amy's as one fell-swoop.  
>"Badda-bing! Badda-bong!" he said as the whirr of the sonic echoed all around. The green glow and then energy source hit the Revex hard and it groaned loudly.<br>"I thought you didn't want to hurt it?" said Amy. "Hypocrite!" she then joked.  
>"This is a rogue Revex..." replied the Doctor. "For it to be eliminated will do good for the whole Universe!"<br>"Will it stop all those keys appearing?" asked Rory as he rolled around to reflect another attack of the Sonic.  
>"I don't know!" smiled the Doctor. "But one thing is for certain! The Revex can't withstand this for much longer!" and indeed he was right. It grew smaller as the attacks intensified and River and Alison made a good team together firing in unison and covering a great range of the beast.<br>"Anyone ever told you you're good with a gun?" laughed River.  
>"First time!" smiled Alison.<br>"You're a natural!" complimented Captain Benson who'd now joined them at their side. "Ever thought about joining UN.I.T?" she then asked. Alison could only ponder briefly as the pink swirl of the Revex got around her but it soon dispersed once more and gunfire from soldiers everywhere made it go and weaken. The Mirrors, now coupled with the Sonic energy from the Doctor were seriously weakening the Revex and its cries got louder and louder, but no-one dared to stop yet.  
>"Doctor!" called Amy. "Another blast please!" and the Doctor complied as Amy reflected the energy right at the centre of the beast. It cries got even louder than before but the Doctor knew it had to be gone. He nodded a command and Captain Benson and she issued the order.<br>"Full fire power!" she commanded as she then let rip with her gun. All shots hit the target with ease and the cries of the ghosts now began to emanate too. It was clear to everyone now that the ghosts were indeed Aubrey and Deirdre.  
>"Let them live with peace and dignity!" cried Alison to the Revex as she fired a shot once more. The Revex screamed loudly and then fell silent. With that, it slowly faded from view as did the ghosts and it was now possible to believe that the Revex was defeated...<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

DOCTOR WHO: THE KEYS TO DEATH

Chapter 9

* * *

><p>With the Revex gone from all sight, the Doctor and everyone else just smiled with delight. Everyone was safe that could have been kept safe but most of all, Aubrey and Deirdre Holmes were now left in peace forever and not being kept for the sake of the Revex. They may have died before all the 'happenings' really began, but their peace and eternal sanctum was what mattered the most.<br>"A good old friend of mine once said that everything has its time and everything dies..." said the Doctor. "...and they're right...the Revex had to die..."

A few hours later as the soldiers began their clear-up operation, Captain Benson came to visit the Doctor who was by Rory's Mini. He was refitting one of its wing-mirrors after accidently knocking it off. He didn't want Rory to be angry with him for damaging his Mini. Captain Benson hoped she wasn't interrupting.  
>"Doctor..." she said. "Well done...we couldn't have done it without you..."<br>"Hank had the right idea..." smiled the Doctor as he finished fixing the wing-mirror.  
>"I think you mean Norman..." she corrected. "It's been a pleasure working with you Doctor, and it's sad to think that this is my last duty as a UN.I.T officer. I'm resigning with immediate effect."<br>"Why would you do that, Ingrid?" asked the Doctor, shocked at Ingrid's decision.  
>"I have a family..." she replied simply. "Two girls, not old enough to understand what their Mother does. They don't even know their Father...my Mum looks after them and I think it's time that I properly spend time with them or else they'll grow up without me...I can't have that happen...it's odd how until this alien encounter I hadn't really thought about how little I saw my girls."<br>"It's UN.I.T's loss..." sighed the Doctor. "You're a great Captain...one of the best..."  
>"But even so, the Benson's will gain..." smiled Ingrid before saluting the Doctor and making her way. The Doctor saluted back and could only smile. As he watched Ingrid go out of view, he just folded his arms and thought of all the good that had occurred with his team of help. River had as ever had been brilliant throughout and was great assistance. Amy and Alison both had kept calm in all of the alien struggles and Rory had been the great mate and someone who he could just easily rely in any emergency.<br>"Oi! Come on Doctor!" then cried a Scottish voice in the distance. It was Amy; she was standing with her arms-folded, as if she was mimicking the Doctor's current pose. "You're not going to say goodbye to Alison?" she then shouted over. The Doctor just made his way over where Alison was all ready and packed to go in her car. She was just giving Amy, Rory and River goodbye hugs as the Doctor joined them.  
>"It's a shame you never got to see the TARDIS..." the Doctor said to Alison.<br>"Oh well..." said Alison. "I loved this and I'll never forget it, but I know deep-down that life here for me is only just starting to get better..."  
>"It's been good knowing you..." sighed the Doctor. "Maybe we'll meet again, I doubt this lot mind..."<br>"No...not at all..." said Amy.  
>"You can come again...any time..." smiled Rory.<br>"It's always nice to have more female company around..." said River. "These two are forever going on about power to weight ratios in cars and magazines made especially for men." River added looking at the Doctor and Rory. The Doctor and Rory looked on embarrassed but took it all in jest.  
>"Until I see you again then I suppose this is it..." sighed Alison. "Where is your TARDIS anyway, I heard UN.I.T speak so grandly of it..."<br>"Leadworth..." replied Rory. "Gloucestershire basically...and he is paying for the Petrol!" he continued pointing towards the Doctor.  
>"I haven't got any money!" protested the Doctor as he pulled his pockets out to show they were empty.<br>"Well you can sonic some at an ATM on the way..." said Rory.  
>"If you insist!" smiled the Doctor as Rory went away to his Mini with Amy and River in tow. They were off on the way back to Leadworth. Alison waved them off before eventually leaving herself.<p>

"Are we there yet?" the Doctor asked impatiently once more as he was squished into the Mini yet again.  
>"No…" Amy exasperatedly replied.<br>"Oh….let's play I-spy then!" the Doctor smiled widely. "I-Spy with my Timelord eyes something beginning with S."  
>"Shops?" guessed a tired River.<br>"Shoes?" said Amy as she saw a designer shoe shop with a magnificent sale on. Amy's eyes widened as the shoes looked beautiful but she knew Rory wouldn't be happy to stop here.  
>"The sun?" Rory eventually guessed as the Doctor smiled on waiting for the correct answer.<br>"No. Do you want to give up?" he then asked.  
>"Yes…" River muttered under her breath.<br>"Well, it's a Seismic Wave of Raven-Nake Potential! Just behind that bowling alley." Amy, Rory and River all just sighed loudly and angrily in one fell swoop. The Doctor couldn't see the issue but gathered it was the end of I-Spy for now atleast.

A few hours later after being stuck in traffic for some time, the Mini arrived back in Leadworth and then outside Amy and Rory's house.  
>"Home sweet home!" smiled Rory with delight after a few frustrated hours at the driver's seat. The Doctor and River, being in the back seats had definitely had enough but the Doctor sprung out as if he was full of energy despite his face saying otherwise.<br>"Time to take you home, Dr. Song..." he said.  
>"Not yet, Sweetie..." she replied. "I want a cup of Tea. Apparently, Amy makes an excellent cuppa."<br>"Indeed I do! I'll put the Kettle on then!" smiled Amy as she unloaded the boot of the Mini. Rory just stretched to try and get the feeling back in his legs, but he couldn't. So, he just sort of hobbled towards the house. When everyone was in and suitably relaxed with a cup of Tea, the Doctor then set out their next adventure, well his and Rory's. Amy and River didn't look too pleased at all.  
>"The Football?" said Amy nearly spilling her Tea. "Well what about me and River? Where are we going?"<br>"Shopping Planet..." replied the Doctor. "Luminoss-Santios! It's fab! Go on, get in the TARDIS, I'll take you there and we'll come back in a bit."  
>"Oh, ever the charmer, Doctor!" smiled River as she and Amy made it to the back garden where the TARDIS was. "Don't any of the neighbours ever question this?" she asked to Amy. The TARDIS just stood in the garden sticking out like a sore thumb. It was a wonder no-one had ever questioned it before.<br>"We just say it's an ornament...one Rory bought and every so often it makes a noise..." she replied.  
>"So he still leaves the handbrake on?" smiled River.<br>"I do it to annoy you now!" said the Doctor before eventually the TARDIS disappeared and soon reappeared a few minutes later . The Doctor rushed inside looking as if he'd forgot something.  
>"What's the problem?" asked Rory. "Forgot your sonic liked you claimed you did at the ATM?"<br>"No, I just think we'll leave the Football for a while Rory because I've just remembered a much better place to go!" replied the Doctor.  
>"And where's that?" Rory asked, puzzled.<br>"The Greasy Goose!" smiled the Doctor widely. "Come on, I'll get a pint – whatever they are like! I wouldn't know..."  
>"You've not had a pint?" said Rory as he got out his seat with a struggle and then put his jacket on before walking outside.<br>"No..." said the Doctor. "Well I don't think I have...hard to remember being over 900 and that..."  
>"Well you're about to find out..." said Rory.<br>"Indeed I am Rory the Roman!" smiled the Doctor as he patted him on the shoulder before both of them walked down the road towards the Greasy Goose Pub as the best of friends.


End file.
